Once placed in service on a vehicle, wiper blades tend to pick up oil, grime, dirt and other environmental contaminants from the road, rain, and the air which are deposited on the surfaces which the wiper blades wipe. Furthermore, non-soluble plasticizers and other formulation components used in the rubber manufacture may leach to the blade surface. The superficial presence of these contaminants on the wiper blade and windshield can cause or aggravate a common form of wiper blade streaking, which is typically temporarily visible on the windshield after each wipe of the blade.
While Dale, U.S. Pat. No. 3,546,825 teaches the use of a rubber thinner and cleaning material in conjunction with rubbing the wiper blade with an abrasive material, such abrading treatment causes undue damage to the wiping surface of the blade, resulting in a shortened blade life. The cleaning material used in Dale was apparently not sufficient in itself to recondition a wiper blade without surface abrading.
Heretofore, a premoistened towelette impregnated with isopropanol and surfactants has been used for cleaning dirty wiper blades. It is not very effective in reducing streaking of the type described above.
Graphite has also been utilized on windshield wiper blades to lubricate the same with regard to friction abatement with the windshield. The graphite often dirtied the window and did not reduce streaking.
Another known product applies graphite to a windshield wiper in a container which has a porous sponge applicator containing a groove therein. The graphite which is generally contained in a liquid penetrates the entire porous applicator. While lubricating the blade, it does not reduce streaking.